A History of Surnames

Pinterest Origin: Old English, Norman French Meaning: Lovecraft is an English surname combined with two English elements; the first part of the name is made up of either Old English personal name Lufu or Lufa meaning "love", or from the Norman French louve meaning "female wolf"; while the second part of the name could be derived from Old English craeft meaning "craft, skill".

Pinterest Origin: Germanic, Hebrew Meaning: Dirksmeyer seems to be a combination of Dirks , a Dutch and German name meaning "son of Dirk", Dirk being a short form of Diederik, the Dutch form of Theodoric meaning "ruler of the people" from Germanic elements theud (people) and ric (power, ruler); and Meyer , which seems to come from German meier  via Latin maior (greater, superior)   meaning "higher, superior", used as a status name for a steward, bailiff, or overseer, which later came to be used for someone who was a tenant farmer and later came to be used as a compound name, usually as the second element; or it could be from Hebrew meir meaning "enlightened". Variants : Dirksmeier 

Pinterest Origin: English Meaning: Birmingham is the name of a city in England, coming from   Beornmundingaham  meaning "homestead of the people of Beornmund", Beornmund being a given name meaning "young man, warrior + protection". Variants : Bermingham 

Pinterest Origin: Old French Meaning: Bunyan is an English surname which seems to have come about as a nickname for someone who had a lump or a hump, originating from Old French bugne meaning "swelling, protuberance". It could also have been an occupational surname for someone who made small pastries or fruit tarts, also from Old French bugnon . Variants : Bunyon Bunyen  Benyon  Bonyon Buniun  Banyan  Banion 

Pinterest Origin: Anglo-Norman Carter comes from an English surname, an occupational name which comes from Anglo-Norman  careter  meaning “cart-driver”, referring to someone who transported goods on a cart.

Pinterest Origin: Germanic Meaning: Huggins is a patrynomic surname coming from given name Hugh, a male given name meaning "heart, mind, spirit" from Germanic element hug . Variants : Huggin 

Pinterest Origin: Gaelic Meaning: McShane is an Irish and Scottish surname, the Anglicised form of Gaelic  Mac Seáin meaning "son of Sean" or "son of Shane", both being the Irish form of given name  John meaning "Yahweh is gracious". It was a patrynomic surname referring to the son of a man with that name.

Origin: Indian Meaning: Choudhry is an Indian surname which originally seems to have been a hereditary title for someone who was the head of a community or caste. It comes from Sanskrit catus (four) and dhar (to hold, to possess; undertaking a burden "of responsibility"). Variants : Chowdary  Chaudhary Chaudry  Choudary  Choudhry  Chaudhari  Chudhry

Origin: Old English Meaning: Cranston is a Scottish surname derived from a place name. It's made up from Old English cran (crane) and tun (settlement) meaning "crane's settlement".

Pinterest Origin: French Meaning: Gentry comes from Old French genterise meaning "noble birth" or "high birth" or "gentleness". Variants : Jentry Jendry  Gentiry  Guntrey  Gentil (French) Gentreau (French) Gentric (French)

Pinterest Origin: Old English Meaning: Fowler was originally an occupational surname for a bird catcher or someone who hunted wild birds. It comes from Old English fugelere derived from fugol meaning "bird".

Pinterest Origin: Celtic, Latin Meaning: Davenport comes from a habitational surname, the name from a place in the town of Cheshire. The first part of the name is derived from the Dane river, apparently the Celtic cognate of Middle Welsh dafnu meaning "to drop, to trickle", while the second element of the name comes from Old English port via Latin portus  meaning "port, harbor". I've also seen Davenport as being an anglicized form of   Ó Donndubhartaigh , meaning "descendant of   Donndubhartach", a personal name made up of Irish donn meaning both "brown, brown-haired" and "chief, lord, noble", dubh meaning "black" and artach "nobleman" or "rock".  Variants : Devenport  Davenporte  Davinport  Devonport Devomporte 

Pinterest Origin: Irish Meaning: Shaughnessy comes from  O'Shaughnessy  meaning "descendant of Shaughnessy", a name of uncertain meaning though I've seen it as possibly being related to Gaelic  seachnach meaning "elusive". Variants : O'Shaughnessy

Pinterest Origin: English Meaning: Matlock is a surname derived from a place name meaning "meeting oak-place" from Old English maethel (meeting, gathering place) and ac (oak) in reference to a place where a council or meeting was being held.